The EPAC Theater Blog

Thursday, March 19, 2015

The
cast of “August: Osage County” is filled with talented EPAC veterans

It’s
not quite the first day of spring, and the Weston clan is already heavily into
spring cleaning. Spiritual, psychological spring cleaning.

Beverly Weston is making
sure his cancer-ridden, drug-addicted wife, Violet, is taken care of by a
housekeeper he’s hiring. Violet is trying to get her middle daughter, Ivy, to
spruce herself up and attract a man. Beverly and Violet’s three daughters are
trying, half-heartedly, to fix all that’s wrong with their mother, and they’re
all in the process of making significant changes in their lives with respect to
the men they’re in relationships with.

OK.
It isn’t really spring within the world of “August: Osage County.” In fact, it
is summer in a non-air-conditioned house, and it’s as hot as H-E-Double-Hockey-Stick –too hot to be doing the kind of cleaning that's about to be done.

Welcome to the Weston
household in Pawhuska, Oklahoma. Relatives are returning to the family
homestead on the Plains, which eldest Weston daughter Barbara describes in the
play’s first act this way: "This is the Plains: A state of mind ... some spiritual affliction, like the Blues."

But the Plains aren't her spiritual affliction at the moment. Her family is.“August: Osage County,”
Tracy Letts’ Pulitzer Prize-winning play the Ephrata Performing Arts
Center is presenting beginning tonight – Thursday, the
eve of the first day of spring – is filled with people trying to cleanse
themselves of their pasts, their toxic relationships with other family members,
their issues and their pathological patterns. But, as if they’re foundering in
quicksand, the harder the Westons struggle to spring clean, the deeper they
sink into the muck.Not far into the play,
Beverly – a poet and professor – winds up missing, and the family must gather
to deal with this crisis, and many more in each of their personal lives. Pretty
quickly, the issues siblings have with their parents, each other and their
partners come spilling out in chaotic, unconstructive and nasty ways.
Drug-addled Violet wants everyone to engage in “truth-telling.” She should be
careful what she wishes for.In this production of
“August: Osage County,” the terrific
cast of veteran EPAC actors basically had to
learn stage-combat choreography for a domestic dinner-table scene. This play –
this family – is not for the faint of heart.

Elizabeth Pattey, left, is Violet, Ken Seigh is
Bill and Susan Kresge is Barbara in “August: Osage County” at EPAC.

But the play IS for anyone
who has experienced moments of dysfunctional family drama. It’s for those who want
to laugh and gasp at a black comedy that’s an examination of human foibles, parent-child
relationships and the ways in which relatives can wound each other.

It’s for
those who can feel sadness for feckless characters the audience can see are
headed for disaster. It’s for those who don’t mind adult themes and some fairly
salty language. The Westons, you see, don’t speak nicely to each other when
they’re spring cleaning.

It’s for you, if you love
challenging theater that examines family relationships and the human condition.
It’s for you, if you want to try to hold on for a wild ride of a play that may
leave you exhausted at the end of the evening.

And it’s for you, if you start
your spring by ordering
tickets from EPAC for “August: Osage County,” playing
Thursday through April 4 at the Sharadin Bigler Theatre. Call the box office at
733-7966.

Thursday, October 16, 2014

Martha Wasser, center, as Sally Bowles, dances with the girls of the Kit Kat Club in EPAC's "Cabaret," now through Nov. 1 at the Sharadin Bigler Theatre.

If you think you know
the “Cabaret” story from watching the 1972 Liza Minnelli / Joel Grey movie,
think again.

The stage musical, which
opens tonight and runs through Nov. 1 at EPAC, came first (opening on Broadway
in 1966). And it remains a deeper exploration than the film of both the 1930s
decadence of Berlin and the menace bubbling just under the surface as the Nazis
began to assert their authority during their rise to power.

I watched the last
rehearsal before “Cabaret’s” preview at the Sharadin Bigler Theatre earlier
this week, and found it to be a really well-cast show, firing on all cylinders!

As the show opens, the
writer character Cliff Bradshaw (played by Sean Deffley) tells us of his eye-opening
experience in Berlin: “It was the end of the world … and I was dancing with
Sally Bowles, and we were both fast asleep.” It’s a provocative invitation for
us, as audience members, to lean forward in our seats, to watch Cliff’s story
unfold, and learn why he described his Berlin sojourn in those terms.

In addition to Cliff, we
meet the one-and-only Sally Bowles, an English girl who dreamed she’d be
fascinating, and woke up to realize she’d made herself fascinating – creating a
persona right at home on the Kit Kat Club stage. Sally’s not really supposed to
be all that talented, but we can suspend disbelief and forgive EPAC’s Martha Wasser for being VERY talented, as she sings the heck out of Sally’s familiar
songs!

We meet the Emcee of the
seedy, decadent Kit Kat Club. As played by Nick Smith, he’s a sly, androgynous
version of the Shakespearean fool – the guy who uses art, wit and performance
to help us understand the truth about what’s going on in frightening outside
world.

Elements of the story
alternate with wild numbers beneath the theatrical lighting of the Kit Kat
Club; the performances enhance the creepiness of what’s happening to German
society, and how it’s affecting all the characters’ lives. The song-and-dance
numbers will delight you; the romances in the show will engage you; and the realization
of what lies beyond the walls of the Kit Kat Club will make your skin crawl.

You don’t want to miss
this show!

One word of caution:
This show is definitely not for kids. EPAC recommends it for adult audiences. The musical deals with adult issues and situations, and performances in the Kit Kat Club are sexually
suggestive. You’ll see plenty of very flexible ladies and gents in their
underwear – it’s a seedy club in decadent Berlin, after all!

Kudos, in advance, to
the cast, crew and creative team … and thanks to the sponsors who are helping EPAC
provide “theater that matters” in our community:

Thursday, September 4, 2014

There’s something
terribly wrong with Willy Loman, who has been a traveling salesman for more
than three decades. He talks to himself. He has lost confidence in himself. He
dreams about the past, and wonders aloud how he might have changed things along
the way for himself and his family.

And he’s a working
man who’s worn out.

Willy must contend
with unfamiliar faces in his present working life, and all-too-familiar ghosts
from his past that box in his mind the way newly constructed buildings have
boxed in the house where he lives with his loyal, supportive wife, Linda.

Who hasn’t felt at least
some of the things Willy is feeling as “Death of a Salesman” opens? Who hasn’t
examined his or her life – work or personal – and tried to figure out how
things might have been different for us? Who hasn’t known someone like Willy,
and been concerned for his welfare, and tried to be a supportive friend?

When the façade you
present to the world doesn’t match the person inside, it can be as exhausting
as carrying those sales valises up and down New England for thirty-something years. Just ask Willy. Or his son, Biff, who
is also in the midst of a personal, self-examining crisis during this play, which
he discusses with his younger brother, Happy.

There’s a reason
“Death of a Salesman” is a theater classic. It deals with the American dream,
capitalism, self-awareness, the relationship between parents and their adult
children, how the past informs the present and so much more. But, beyond all
that, it’s a play about a family in crisis. It will engage you, touch your
heart and make you think.

And EPAC has
assembled a marvelous cast for this production of this play – led by John
Kleimo as Willy, Elizabeth Pattey as Linda, Josh Kirwin as Biff and Kevin
Fennell as Happy. I watched a recent
rehearsal of the play, and was blown away by all the fresh, new things I
noticed about the show – which I’ve studied in many classes, seen a couple of times
on stage and watched many times in its film versions.

It’s the cast, and how
they’re approaching their roles under Michael Swanson’s direction, that taught
me so many new things about this American standard, and made me emotional to
the point of tears about the Loman family’s plight.

Whether you’ve never
seen “Death of a Salesman,” or feel as if you’ve seen it a hundred times, this
production will give you a fresh perspective on an evergreen classic; it will
grab you and not let you go. It’s a pure expression of EPAC’s mission of
presenting “Theater That Matters!”

The show runs through
Sept. 20 at the Sharadin Bigler Theatre; call 717-733-7966 for tickets, or
visit our website to order online.

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Amy Ward, seated, is Elle Woods and Niki Boyer Swatski is Paulette in the Ephrata Performing Arts Center's production of "Legally Blonde: The Musical," opening Thursday at the Sharadin Bigler Theatre.

On his public radio show, “This
American Life,” Ira Glass recently remarked that he learned a lot about
storytelling by going to musical theater a lot as a kid.

If you want a great example of what
Glass is talking about, then check out “Legally Blonde: The Musical,” opening
Thursday (7/24 – tomorrow!) at the Sharadin Bigler Theatre.

A lawyer’s daughter, Amanda Brown
wrote the novel “Legally Blonde,” based on her own experiences at Stanford Law
School. It told a great story about a young woman who, because of personal heartbreak,
works hard to get into law school – a place decidedly outside her comfort zone.
Once there, she must defy other people’s stereotypical view of her as a
dumb-blonde sorority alumna. And she learns that, once she stops trying to
conform and decides to be true to herself and the gifts she recognizes in
herself, she can triumph and be useful in ways beyond anything she’d previously
imagined.

The 2001 film, “Legally Blonde,”
changed some of the details, but kept true to that wonderful story about Elle
Woods, a protagonist the audience can’t help falling in love with and rooting
for.

The musical takes that great story and
layers on songs, dance numbers and extra complexity to some of the other
characters we all loved from the movie.

You’ll love the story of Elle Woods;
her dog, Bruiser (played at EPAC by an adorable, rescued Chihuahua who’s
available for adoption at the end of the run of the show!); her college BFFs; her
manicurist buddy, Paulette; the men in her life, and her Harvard Law School
frenemies. Director/choreographer Cody Smith, an EPAC veteran (as performer,
director and choreographer), has assembled a young, talented cast that fills
the stage with energy, great dance moves and clever, catchy songs.

It’s a fun show with a lot of heart
and a great message about self-confidence, defying other’s expectations, not
judging a book by its cover and being true to oneself.

And, at its core, “Legally Blonde: The
Musical” has a great story to tell. Call 733-7966 or visit our website, and get
your ticket today (the show runs till Aug. 9). Oh-my-God-you-guys! Let this
great cast tell you a wonderful story!

Thursday, July 17, 2014

Twenty years ago this week, I was
standing in the wings at the sweltering “old” Ephrata Playhouse, waiting to step
onstage as part of the ensemble in the musical “The Robber Bridegroom.” Our darling,
now-departed Brian Adams, who played Little Harp, was making funny faces at me
to help calm my nerves.

Our rehearsals in an Elizabethtown church
basement had been filled with laughter along with the hard work; our cast had
bonded into a family. We went out together nearly every night during rehearsals
and the run of the show, and had a great time enjoying each other’s company.

While I’d been an audience member at the
playhouse for years before those nights in July 1994, “The Robber Bridegroom”
marked my first practical involvement with the Ephrata Performing Arts Center.

Here we are, 20 years later. I’m still
friends with several people I met while doing that 1994 show. I’ve helped out
around the theater, from ushering to working the concession stand, from posting
on social media to passing out brochures to helping out during school-day
performances.

In those 20 years, I’ve sat in the
audience and marveled at the theater being created by this community troupe
that rivals professional theaters in the quality of the shows and the talent of
the casts and creative teams.I’ve watched young kids grow up on EPAC’s stage and become wonderful adult performers. I’ve seen EPAC veterans come and go, and
watched newbies fill the stage with talent and magic. I’ve laughed my head off;
I’ve bawled my eyes out; I’ve scratched my head, and let characters get under
my skin.

And, in the last 10 years, I’ve
watched creative teams make fabulous use of the beautifully renovated theater
space that’s now the (air-conditioned!) Sharadin Bigler Theatre.

Through it all, I’ve remembered that
sense of FAMILY I first experienced during the run of “The Robber Bridegroom.” EPAC is, indeed a family – a family of
performers, directors, technical wizards, creative teams, crew members,
volunteers, sponsors, patrons, supporters and audience members.

And that family comes together dozens
of times every year to create evenings of THEATER THAT MATTERS – plays and
musicals that are thought-provoking, joyous, heart-rending, toe-tapping and
glorious – sometimes all at the same time.

Whether you move set pieces, direct
the pit orchestra, act, direct, throw the opening-night party, show people to
their chairs or buy tickets and sit in those seats, you, too, are a part of the
EPAC FAMILY.

With the delightful, high-energy
musical, “Legally Blonde,” opening next Thursday, we’re about halfway through
EPAC’s 2014 season. We’ve experienced great theater so far, and have plenty
more to see through the end of the year.

Welcome, family, and thanks for your
continued support. It’s been a great 20 years!

Hundreds of seats had been added in the theater, rehearsal and dressing rooms had
been installed downstairs, the roof had been raised 9 feet – and the place
finally had indoor restrooms!!

The venue was eventually renamed the Sharadin
Bigler Theatre in honor of the decades of generous financial support EPAC has received from Terry Bigler and the late Michael Sharadin.

Here's a snippet from one of the Lancaster
Newspaper accounts of how that evening began for the audience 10 years ago –
just before the start of the first show of the 2004 season, “1776”:

"Before the show got under way Thursday night, Ephrata
Performing Arts Center artistic director Ed Fernandez bounced onto the stage
and said with open arms and a grin, 'What a dump!'
"The audience, laughing, erupted in thunderous applause, and looked around
the revamped theater with a sense of pride.
" 'Welcome to our new home,' Fernandez said. 'Isn’t she beautiful?' "
“Though the new Ephrata Performing Arts Center, formerly Ephrata Playhouse,
looks shiny and new, its history – with its numerous transformations – runs
deep, as far back as the 1700s.
"Fittingly, the theater’s debut production is '1776: A Musical,' a
hilarious show about the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
"... Fernandez calls the building’s architecture 'techno–rustic.'
" 'It’s very modern,' he said. 'But yet there is a 200-year-old wood beam
running through the ceiling. … Tonight is when theater really starts to happen here again.'

“...The spacious 23,400-foot facility has 300 seats – 200
more than the old pavilion. The roof also was raised 9 feet. 'Lights used to sometimes
hit actors on their heads,' Fernandez said. There are dressing rooms,
classrooms, laundry rooms and a kitchen downstairs now. ..."

For
10 years since that night, the EPAC family has continued to celebrate the creation of “theater
that matters” here at EPAC.

The
psychological thriller “Agnes of God” continues in this lovely, air-conditioned
theater space Wednesday through Saturday this week. Call 733-7966 for tickets,
and help celebrate the anniversary of this theater’s rebirth.

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Have you ever had a bright, bold new
idea that no one else at the office understood or embraced? Have you ever had
to make a difficult choice between two important things – or people – in your
life?

Have you ever felt like your creative
energy was at a low ebb, or that you can’t find a new voice or vision in your
work? Have you ever felt like you don’t live up to the standards of your
ancestors who went before you?

If you’ve experienced at least one of these
feelings – and who among us hasn’t? – you’ll find something to connect deeply with
in EPAC’s production of “Sunday in the Park with George,” playing now through
Saturday at the Sharadin Bigler Theatre.

The musical presents a version of what
composer Stephen Sondheim and writer (and Franklin & Marshall College
alumnus) James Lapine imagined artist Georges Seurat’s life might have been
like – along with the lives of the characters in his paintings, and those of
Seurat’s descendants, if he’d had any.

The show also explores how Seurat
rebelled against the French art establishment by using pointillist techniques –
replacing the Impressionists’ brush strokes with dots of pure color arranged in
such a way that the human eye would “combine” the dots to see blended colors
and shimmering light in his painting. The show is also about the heart-rending
sacrifices an artist must sometimes make in his personal life.

And the musical is about Seurat’s
(fictional) artist great-grandson in America, also named George, who has lost
his unique vision amid his mad scramble to woo patrons and attract commissions.

Sondheim’s music is glorious, and
Lapine’s book is emotional and thought-provoking. Many audience members have
regretted leaving their Kleenex at home!

And EPAC has pulled out all the stops
to make this a memorable production of a wonderful musical. You’ll be delighted
with the show’s creative vision, the acting, the singing, the musicianship, the
set and the costumes. Kudos to the cast, crew, creative team and musicians who
have been “Putting it Together” for weeks, to the delight of audiences and
critics.

The show only runs through this
Saturday, May 17th. You do NOT want to miss your chance to see this
show that EPAC audiences will be talking about for years.

Thanks to EPAC’s season sponsor, BlueRidge Communications, and “Sunday’s” show co-sponsors, Lily’s on Main and SugarArts at Donecker's. When you patronize these sponsors, or run into their
employees, please give them a huge "THANK YOU!!" for supporting “theater that
matters” at Ephrata Performing Arts Center.

Order your tickets to “Sunday in the
Park …” online, or call the box office at (717) 733-7966.